From Luweero to Masindi: Magogo gets another term

In a hot conference room at Nimrod Hotel, Luweero last October, Fufa delegates debated matters that would define the beautiful game for superseding 12 months.
That Fufa General Assembly, their 92nd, approved the 2015 activity report approved smoothly in a six-hour marathon meeting. Only water was served until the luncheon upon completion.
Proposals to have four women’s delegates, approve a five-year strategic plan “to transform football” and grant the Futsal Association of Uganda associate members also sailed through.
Auditors, KAL Associates, were given another two-year mandate and the electoral commission to handle the 2017 poll where Moses Magogo, president since 2013, was to be a candidate was passed too.
In addition, the Shs14bn budget for 2017 was endorsed despite objections of some Uganda Premier League chairmen and Buganda region delegate Rogers Mulindwa.
Just when the assembly was winding up, Uganda Beach Soccer Association (UBSA) delegate Deo Mutabazi pulled the rug from under some people’s feet.

Thank You
Given the chance to speak last by Fufa chief executive officer Edgar Watson before the president’s closing remarks, Mutabazi read a rather disorganised “Thank You” statement to the assembly.
Saying that he represented the views of beach, women, referees, coaches, players and 71 delegates in all, Mutabazi asked the 88-member assembly to back “continuity to achieve the strategic plan.”
“Why look for a technician to fix what’s not broken?” Mutabazi said amidst endless loud clapping from the delegates, most of whom wore Fufa’s official blue suits.
“Since you (Magogo) came, companies call me to sponsor beach soccer. I stand here to represent the views of many: Thank You. Let the executive focus on the 2017 Afcon and Russia 2018,” he said.

Mutabazi laboured to make his point despite delegates Yusuf Kamulegeya, Fasial Muhammad and John Odong having offered hints in their earlier submissions. In his opening remarks, Magogo had stated that “the game is stable now and football is doing the talking. Let’s get rid of the theory that football should be organised by people outside of football.”
“They call you people here ‘potato growers’ but in here, we have doctors, lawyers and no many other distinguished people who love football and want to see it develop,” he said.
After receiving the “Thank You” statement from Mutabazi, Magogo promised to “organise a free and fair election to give all a chance.”
Magogo, like any incumbent would, had a head start in a process that started earlier this year and wound up this week with him as the only candidate.

Electoral code 2012
The challenger Mujib Kasule only joined the race last Wednesday, the day when the three-day nomination process was due to close.
While many will contest the fact that Magogo is unopposed, Kasule was ‘legally’ locked only for an old saying that goes ““Not only must Justice be done; it must also be seen to be done.”
Was justice done in the case of blocking Kasule from vying for the top job? For one to take the top football jobs, he or she must be nominated at least one of the eight Fufa regions.
In addition, you need endorsements from an Azam Uganda Premier League club and a Special Interest Group (SIG).

Those groups include referees, women’s football association, women’s league, schools, youth, coaches, beach soccer, players, Fufa Big League and Azam Uganda Premier League.
The Proline director and coach only had the endorsement letter from UPL side Vipers. He had neither a letter from Buganda region (his backers) nor the SIGs when nominations closed.
The rules that could be used to knock out Kasule, also a Caf coaching instructor, were designed by a committee he was part of while Fufa vice president back in 2012.
That seven-man committee that also had then-delegates Magogo, Sam Mpiima, Rogers Byamukama and then-Fufa lawyer Alex Luganda among others sat at Katomi Kingdom Resort, Entebbe.
At the time, it was seen as a ploy to lock out Vision Group Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Robert Kabushenga who had voiced his intentions of contesting for the job.

Challenges
There will be little to celebrate for Magogo whose manifesto launch is planned for this week to outline a cocktail of promises for the period ahead.
While he is often a calm ahead during the most ecstatic of time, the 43-year old Fufa president is facing a Fifa investigation in regard to the sale of 2014 World Cup tickets allocated to Uganda.
His naysayers will still argue that the legality of Fufa is still up in the air regardless of the fact that National Council of Sports (NCS) did hand them a certificate early this year.
Magogo will insist that the federation’s audited books are only presented to the assembly and published in newspapers but many remain unconvinced with accountability for eternity. And this accountability issue around Fufa stretches way beyond Magogo’s tenure.
Some will also blame him most of conflict during Lawrence Mulindwa’s eight year reign that ended in 2013.
That reign sunk Ugandan football to creating two leagues.
There is also a group of former players, led by Dan Walusimbi who hate the sight of him finding him unacceptable.

Successes
Challenges granted, Magogo has created a semblance of improved corporate governance (Fufa structure) at Fufa House than there has ever been.
He is more of today than yesterday’s traditionalists, and can listen to ideas. However, implementing is another ball game altogether.
Besides the qualification for the Nations Cup after 39-year hiatus, he has thrown his weight behind human resource capacity building (various courses for refs, players, coaches)
The Azam Uganda Premier League and Fufa Big League, the top two tiers, are much more stable than ever before, while the addition of an U-17 league is welcome.

There are more sponsors taking up league clubs to feed off this stability. Minorities like women’s football and beach soccer are the most pleased with him.
In addition, information is easy to find through an up-to-date website and radio. None of this has come at the expense of the Uganda Cranes brand.
Individually, Magogo has worked his way into corridors no Ugandan could walk through at Caf as a co-opted member of the executive committee and Fifa.
Both the Caf President Ahmad, privately, and the Fifa boss Gianni Infantinno, publicly, have visited Uganda.

Challenges

There will be little to celebrate for Magogo whose manifesto launch is planned for this week to outline a cocktail of promises for the period ahead. While he is often a calm ahead during the most ecstatic of time, the 43-year old Fufa president is facing a Fifa investigation in regard to the sale of 2014 World Cup tickets allocated to Uganda.
Naysayers.
Magogo’s naysayers will still argue that the legality of Fufa is still up in the air regardless of the fact that National Council of Sports (NCS) did hand them a certificate early this year.

Successes

Corporate governance
Challenges granted, Magogo has created a semblance of improved corporate governance (Fufa structure) at Fufa House than there has ever been. He is more of today than yesterday’s traditionalists, and can listen to ideas. However, implementing is another ball game altogether.
Nations Cup
Besides the qualification for the Nations Cup after 39-year hiatus, he has thrown his weight behind human resource capacity building (various courses for refs, players, coaches).

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